Disclaimer - The characters in this story are mine. Any resemblance to any fictional characters is purely coincidental. This is an uber story and so the two lead characters may be familiar. Some locations contained within the story are real and some are fictional.

Disclaimer - The characters in this story are mine. Any resemblance to any fictional characters is purely coincidental. This is an uber story and so the two lead characters may be familiar. Some locations contained within the story are real and some are fictional.

Love/Sex warning/Disclaimer - This story depicts loving consensual sexual relationships between women. Some BDSM references and scenes are contained in the piece. If you are under 18 years of age or if the themes of these relationships are illegal in your country then I suggest you skip this story.

Song/Music Disclaimer - The Songs mentioned in this piece are used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks to my Beta reader AC. Your help and hard work has been invaluable.

Thank you to my Cover designer Lilien Hoffman.

For my partner Lou. Your help, love and encouragement are my inspiration.

Ambleton - January 1951

Ada Bentley rushed, as fast as her stocky body would allow, down the garden path to the shabby cottage she shared with her husband Jim.

"Jim? Jim!" She shouted.

She went the back door of the cottage, and entered the kitchen to find her husband Jim slouched in an armchair by the fire. The tall, silver haired, man was lightly snoring, his head resting in his hand.

Ada marched over and shook her husband by the shoulder.

"Wake up you drunken old fool!"

"What are doing woman! Leave me to sleep! Unless you've worked out how we're going to pay the rent this month." He grumbled.

"I think you'll want to hear this Jim. It's about Beth."

Beth Bentley was the daughter of Jim's late brother, Edward. At his brother's funeral they had offered the young girl a place to live, thinking she would arrive with an inheritance for the couple to manage.

When they found out that such an inheritance didn't exist, they were furious but were stuck with her and so they made Beth earn her keep in more ways than one.

The girl took on a cleaning job with the at the village rectory and well as being responsible for all the household tasks at the cottage, and the sewing work that Ada took in, leaving her Aunt and Uncle to indulge in drink and idleness.

The girl's life was miserable and she dreamed of the day she could get away and make her own life.

With the help of the church rector, she had saved enough to leave for London and start a new life.

One morning, at the end of last October, Beth Bentley had left the cottage, and never looked back. Her Aunt and Uncle had never heard of her since.

"What? Does she want to come home with her tail between her legs? Ungrateful little bitch!" Jim asked angrily.

"No. When I was in the post office I overheard Mrs Carter talking to Miss Johnston. I couldn't hear every word but I heard the gist of it. Mrs Carter was telling her about young Elizabeth Bentley, who used to live in the village, marrying a Lord Dalton. She said he owned a great estate in the North Country and how shocking it was. I don't know why they thought it was shocking but do you know what this means? We're related to aristocracy, rich aristocracy!" She exclaimed.

Jim's mouth hung open in shock. He jumped up and grabbed his wife by the shoulders. "Oh my god! Our prayers are answered!" The husband and wife twirled round the room in delight.

"How are we going to get what's owed us Jim? Not only does she owe us for taking her in but she's family, your brother, God rest his soul, would want her to look after his family."

"Your quite right my dear! He would. I think first of all we need to find out all we can about this Dalton family before we make our move. Don't worry Ada. We will get what we are due." Jim said coldly.